Thin film-like materials are handled in many different types of industries, for example, in photographic and x-ray film manufacture and processing, membrane manufacture and processing, packaging, printing, and electronics, among others. The thin, flexible, and often fragile nature of film-like materials typically requires special considerations when handling these materials, for example, to prevent tearing, distortion, and breakage, and to ensure proper orientation and alignment during assembly.
One field in which the handling of thin film-like materials is often problematic is the field of fuel cells, for example, during the handling and assembly of electrodes mounted on thin-film gaskets found in Membrane Electrode Assemblies (or MEAs). MEAs typically consist of several layers of thin materials (that is, materials having a thickness of about 0.001 inches) which are assembled with layer-to-layer registration or alignment tolerances of a few thousandths of an inch. In some types of MEAs, the MEA typically includes two layers of gasket material, two electrodes, and one membrane, for example, a proton exchange membrane (PEM). These components are typically cut to appropriate size and assembled with dimensional tolerances of a few thousandths of an inch. Typically, prior art MEA assembly processes consist of several diverse operations that must be performed in a prescribed sequence, typically requiring the materials to be transported between assembly stations during processing. The handling of the components of the MEA, for example, the thin gaskets, the thin electrodes, and the thin membrane is typically hampered by the flexibility and fragility that characterizes these thin materials.
According to the prior art, membranes and the assembly of these membranes into, for example, MEAs, is typically assembled by hand, one at a time. In order for fuel cells to become economically viable it is preferred that the fabrication and assembly of the components of MEAs and the MEAs themselves be automated. However, the transport and registration (that is, alignment) of multiple layers of thin film materials presents a particularly difficult challenge for prior art fabrication methods. Aspects of the inventions shown in published applications US 20040042789 A1 and WO 2004/021489 A2 provide devices and methods for automating the assembly of MEAs. However, the prior art methods and devices for providing membranes, for example, providing membranes to an automated system as disclosed in these applications, limit the effectiveness and ease with which membranes, for example, can be introduced to an automated system.
According to the prior art, membranes are typically provided in an acidic solution in sealed bags, for example, as shown in above-referenced U.S. application 20040042789 A1. Also shown in application US 20040042789 A1, according to the existing art, these bags must typically be opened, for example, by cutting, and the membrane extracted from the bag before the electrode can be handled and assembled to provide an MEA. This extraction of the membrane from the bag is typically cumbersome and detracts from the desire to automate the handling and assembly of, among other things, MEAs. Aspects of the present invention address these and other disadvantages of the prior art by providing methods and devices for providing and handling thin films, for example, membranes. Aspects of the present invention are particularly conducive to the automated assembly of devices having membranes, for example, to the automated assembly of MEAs for use in fuel cells.